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Version 14 Version 15
Scott Walker launches run as 'president who will fight and win for America' – as it happened Scott Walker launches run as 'president who will fight and win for America' – as it happened
(30 days later)
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We’re going to wrap up our live blog coverage for the day. You can read our full news coverage of the Scott Walker presidential announcement here.We’re going to wrap up our live blog coverage for the day. You can read our full news coverage of the Scott Walker presidential announcement here.
Also be sure to read Ben Jacobs’ just-published report, ‘Scott Walker can be beaten. One woman did it. She’s just sorry his career survived’:Also be sure to read Ben Jacobs’ just-published report, ‘Scott Walker can be beaten. One woman did it. She’s just sorry his career survived’:
Gwen Moore is the only person ever to beat the Wisconsin governor, Scott Walker, in an election. The five-term congresswoman bested Walker in a 1990 state representative race in Milwaukee.Gwen Moore is the only person ever to beat the Wisconsin governor, Scott Walker, in an election. The five-term congresswoman bested Walker in a 1990 state representative race in Milwaukee.
She has one regret about that race, she says. She “feels tremendously guilty about not beating him well enough” to end his political career.She has one regret about that race, she says. She “feels tremendously guilty about not beating him well enough” to end his political career.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.59pm BSTat 11.59pm BST
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Nice-looking stage.Nice-looking stage.
"Americans deserve a President who will fight & win for them." #ScottWalker @guardianUS pic.twitter.com/P8jTB67apQ"Americans deserve a President who will fight & win for them." #ScottWalker @guardianUS pic.twitter.com/P8jTB67apQ
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Walker closes speechWalker closes speech
Walker wraps up:Walker wraps up:
That’s why I love America. That’s why we love America. That’s why - working together - we can fight and win for America.That’s why I love America. That’s why we love America. That’s why - working together - we can fight and win for America.
God bless you. God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of AmericaGod bless you. God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of America
Cue the Brooks & Dunn.Cue the Brooks & Dunn.
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Life is a hiighwayLife is a hiighway
Governor Walker walking on stage to meet his family and supporters. #Walker16 pic.twitter.com/abC22VOSM7Governor Walker walking on stage to meet his family and supporters. #Walker16 pic.twitter.com/abC22VOSM7
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Walker moves toward the end of his speech with a litany of promises to “fight and win for you”:Walker moves toward the end of his speech with a litany of promises to “fight and win for you”:
You see, It doesn’t matter if you’re from a big city, a suburb or a small town, I will fight and win for you.You see, It doesn’t matter if you’re from a big city, a suburb or a small town, I will fight and win for you.
Healthy or sick, born or unborn, I will fight and win for you.Healthy or sick, born or unborn, I will fight and win for you.
Young or old - or somewhere in between - I will fight and win for you.Young or old - or somewhere in between - I will fight and win for you.
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Walker: 'we are running to serve as your president'Walker: 'we are running to serve as your president'
Walker announces that his family is running for president. No “I”, as in the prepared remarks -- onstage it’s all “We”:Walker announces that his family is running for president. No “I”, as in the prepared remarks -- onstage it’s all “We”:
And so, after a great deal of thought and a whole lot of prayer, we are proud to announce that we are running to serve as your President of the United States of America.And so, after a great deal of thought and a whole lot of prayer, we are proud to announce that we are running to serve as your President of the United States of America.
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Here’s the first chant of “USA! USA! USA!” from the crowd:Here’s the first chant of “USA! USA! USA!” from the crowd:
We need to honor our men and women in uniform by giving them the resources they need to keep us safe - and then give them the quality and timely healthcare they deserve when they return home.We need to honor our men and women in uniform by giving them the resources they need to keep us safe - and then give them the quality and timely healthcare they deserve when they return home.
But I believe that the best way we can honor them is by fighting to win. This is important because our goal is peace, but there will be times when America must fight.But I believe that the best way we can honor them is by fighting to win. This is important because our goal is peace, but there will be times when America must fight.
And if we must, Americans fight to win.And if we must, Americans fight to win.
The world needs to know that there is no better friend and no worse enemy than the United States of America.The world needs to know that there is no better friend and no worse enemy than the United States of America.
USA, USA, USA.USA, USA, USA.
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Zoe Sullivan is in the expo center:Zoe Sullivan is in the expo center:
Crowd goes wild as #ScottWalker touts his new #voterID law, says he'll protect country from radical Islam @GuardianUS pic.twitter.com/CLL6pFVK7mCrowd goes wild as #ScottWalker touts his new #voterID law, says he'll protect country from radical Islam @GuardianUS pic.twitter.com/CLL6pFVK7m
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Walker is on to foreign policy, not widely recognized as his strong suit, but he delivers these lines as convincingly as any candidate: “The greatest threat to future generations is radical Islamic terrorism and we need to do something about it,” Walker says:Walker is on to foreign policy, not widely recognized as his strong suit, but he delivers these lines as convincingly as any candidate: “The greatest threat to future generations is radical Islamic terrorism and we need to do something about it,” Walker says:
That means lifting the political restrictions on our military personnel in Iraq so they can help our Kurd and Sunni allies reclaim land taken by ISIS. On behalf of your children and mine, I’d rather take the fight to them than wait for them to bring the fight to us.That means lifting the political restrictions on our military personnel in Iraq so they can help our Kurd and Sunni allies reclaim land taken by ISIS. On behalf of your children and mine, I’d rather take the fight to them than wait for them to bring the fight to us.
We need to acknowledge that Israel is our ally and start treating Israel like an ally. There should be absolutely no daylight between our two countries. That’s why I went to Israel earlier this year and met with both the Prime Minister and the opposition leader to express my wholehearted support for the unshakeable bonds between our two countries.We need to acknowledge that Israel is our ally and start treating Israel like an ally. There should be absolutely no daylight between our two countries. That’s why I went to Israel earlier this year and met with both the Prime Minister and the opposition leader to express my wholehearted support for the unshakeable bonds between our two countries.
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Walker drops mention of the Laffer curve, arguing that lower taxes and a broader tax base would fund the government more effectively that higher taxes on the upper brackets. He says that’s how the retailer Kohl’s makes money its money – low prices, high volume.Walker drops mention of the Laffer curve, arguing that lower taxes and a broader tax base would fund the government more effectively that higher taxes on the upper brackets. He says that’s how the retailer Kohl’s makes money its money – low prices, high volume.
Do tax cuts increase revenues? Let’s get back to that. Here’s Walker:Do tax cuts increase revenues? Let’s get back to that. Here’s Walker:
The government could charge the higher rates and a few of you could afford it. Or, we can lower the rates and broaden the base and increase the volume of people participating in our economy.The government could charge the higher rates and a few of you could afford it. Or, we can lower the rates and broaden the base and increase the volume of people participating in our economy.
Years ago, we saw this kind of plan work well under President Ronald Reagan. Back then, it was called the Laffer Curve. Today, I call it the Kohl’s Curve because I believe that you can spend your own money far better than the government - and that will help grow the economy.Years ago, we saw this kind of plan work well under President Ronald Reagan. Back then, it was called the Laffer Curve. Today, I call it the Kohl’s Curve because I believe that you can spend your own money far better than the government - and that will help grow the economy.
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“We need to lower the burden on hard-working taxpayers to give you your hard-earned dollar,” he says. “And we need tax levels that are competitive for job creators to bring jobs back from overseas to put more of our fellow Americans back to work.“We need to lower the burden on hard-working taxpayers to give you your hard-earned dollar,” he says. “And we need tax levels that are competitive for job creators to bring jobs back from overseas to put more of our fellow Americans back to work.
“We can do it. We did it in Wisconsin and we can do it in Washington, too.”“We can do it. We did it in Wisconsin and we can do it in Washington, too.”
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What’s your take on the Walker talk so far? Wooden? Or is that just the attractive wooden-plank backdrop?
There’s a dig at Obamacare:
First, we must repeal ObamaCare. That’s right, repeal the so-called Affordable Care Act entirely and put patients and families back in charge of their health care decisions - not the federal government.
As Governor, I approved Wisconsin joining the lawsuit against ObamaCare on my first day in office. We need a President who - on the first day in office - will call on Congress to once and for all repeal Obamacare entirely.
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at 11.34pm BST
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Walker comes very close to beating up on people who need public aid but may not want to take or be able to pass a drug test (he has signed legislation requiring drug screening for people who draw unemployment):
In Wisconsin, we enacted a program that says that adults who are able to work must be enrolled in one of our job training programs before they can get a welfare check. Now, as of the budget I just signed, we are also making sure they can take a drug test.
When I proposed this, the status quo defenders cried that we were making it harder to get government assistance. My response? No, we’re making it easier to get a job.
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Walker preaches 'dignity that is born of work'
Walker says a culture of dependency has taken hold in the United States. Which reasoning would explain why he has been such a staunch opponent of living wage laws, raising the minimum wage, Medicaid expansion and a proponent of drug testing for recipients of unemployment.
Sadly though, Washington seems to measure success by how many people are dependent on the government. Instead, we should measure it by just the opposite: by how many people are no longer dependent on the government.
We understand that true freedom and prosperity don’t come from the mighty hand of the government, they come from empowering people to live their own lives and control their own destinies through the dignity that comes from work.
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Walker touts his work to defund Planned Parenthood, liberalize gun laws and keep a lid on ...voting:
Since I’ve been Governor, we passed lawsuit reform and regulatory reform. We defunded Planned Parenthood and enacted pro-life legislation. We passed Castle Doctrine and concealed carry. And we now require a photo ID to vote in the State of Wisconsin.
All of those are applause lines.
“If our reforms can work in a blue state like Wisconsin, they can work anywhere in America.
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Here’s the big line:
To do this, we need new, fresh leadership; leadership with big, bold ideas from outside of Washington; the kind of leadership that can actually get things done - like we have here in Wisconsin.
Since I’ve been Governor, we took on the unions and won.
Applause line. Not what you’d necessarily call wild applause. But more than polite. Quietly wild applause.
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Walker takes the stage
The candidate hops onstage to the rollicking hit “Life is a highway” by Rascal Flatts.
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Walker’s wife, Tonette Walker, is telling the story of their courtship.
“My first impression of the man I fell in love with and married was, ‘Scott Walker is a guy who goes after what he wants’,” she says.
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Kleefisch is loud and rowdy. “America, are you ready to be vindicated!!”
The crowd cheers.
“Good,” she says. “Because he’ll be out in just a minute.”
She turns to an intro video.
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Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose?
I'll be seeing you all soon.#Walker16 -SW pic.twitter.com/w2X0URThjL
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You can watch a video feed of the Walker event here. Wisconsin lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch is speaking. She is talking about the 2011 public-sector unions fight.
“In a Herculean effort like a David to a Goliath, Governor Scott Walker had your back,” Kleefisch says. “And America, he will again.”